


you could have knocked me out with a feather

by ironical



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, M/M, Pining, lack of liam and zayn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-05
Updated: 2014-01-05
Packaged: 2018-01-07 13:49:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1120598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ironical/pseuds/ironical
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry busks outside the coffee shop Niall works at and Louis is tired of his pining.</p>
            </blockquote>





	you could have knocked me out with a feather

**Author's Note:**

> title is from "america's suitehearts" by fall out boy.
> 
> the song harry sings is one he's tweeted the lyrics to before.
> 
> (oh, just a [visual](http://25.media.tumblr.com/c28a766b1a100339b486edeb4534b2bf/tumblr_mypkhhVXWA1qklju2o1_500.png).)

Niall watches as the boy sets down his guitar case and opens it, carefully taking out the instrument before sitting down on the pavement just outside the shop and tuning it. Today is a particularly windy day so his brown curls— _God_ , those curls—keep blowing into his green eyes so he has to repeatedly swipe them back with his ridiculously large hands. Niall thinks he hasn't seen hands that big in his entire lifetime. He wonders just how much larger the boy's hand would be if he held his own hand up to his to compa—

Niall feels the cloth his elbow was resting on being swiped beneath him. His arm slides out from its position and his chin meets the hard counter, his teeth harshly biting down on his tongue. He cries out in pain, feeling his eyes water and the bitter taste of blood in his mouth.

"Shit, sorry, Niall. Are you alright?"

Niall turns to face Louis, glaring at him. "What the hell was that for!"

Louis grins wolfishly at him. "Was trying to snap you out of your trance. Didn't know your chin and the counter would become good friends in the process. By the way, you're staring again. Quite indiscreetly, might I add."

Niall feels his cheeks heat up. "Well, it's not my fault I have a perfect view of him from here," he grumbles.

Louis rolls his eyes, "It's already been a few weeks, when are you going to actually talk to him?"

"I throw money into his guitar case! He smiles and nods at me, isn't that enough for now?" Niall says defensively.

"Right. Get back to work, Horan!" Louis says, ruffling his hair.

Niall tries to look petulant about it, but he can never stay mad at Louis for long. Especially when Bohemian Rhapsody starts playing and he starts making him laugh by dancing ridiculously with his mop.

 

Niall always chooses to spend his breaks outside, listening to the boy sing and play his guitar. He's quite popular; his charm attracting not only a hoard of teenage girls (and some boys), but people of all ages. Niall thinks the way he's especially good with children and how he speaks sweetly to the old women makes him weak in the knees.

Niall also really likes his taste in music. Today he's singing Hannah by Ray LaMontagne. It really suits his voice, which is low, husky and dulcet. The boy's eyes wander up to the crowd and he catches his eyes. Niall thinks he's going to melt on the spot. He finishes up the song, signature dimpled smile and hand reaching up to his fix hair. Everyone claps, and some even whistle because that's just how good this boy is. 

Niall goes up to toss some money into the open guitar case. 

The boy looks up at him, his green eyes shining when smiles and says, "Thanks, man."

Niall smiles back and nods curtly in return because he doesn't trust himself to speak around him. A firm hand on his shoulder surprises him. "Jesus Christ," he says, turning to see Louis.

"Wrong. Guess again," he says.

Niall rolls his eyes, "Stop surprising me."

"Well, I came outside to tell you that break's over. Be grateful or else Paul would have your head." Louis turns to look at the boy, "You've got a great voice, mate. It's like music to my ears."

Niall flicks him, "He's singing, Lou. It _is_ music."

"I'm trying to give the guy a damn compliment. Geez, Niall."

The boy laughs (Niall almost chokes on his spit), "I get what you're trying to say. Thank you."

Louis makes a gesture that says, _See?_

"Whatever," Niall says, smiling fondly at his best friend.

"Tomlinson! Horan! Get your asses in here!" Paul bellows out the shop's door.

Louis grabs Niall's ear and begins to drag him back to the shop, making him yelp. "Aye aye, captain! I was just fetching Niall!"

"Let go of me! Ow, Louis, you already made my tongue bleed earlier!"

Louis just ignores him.

(Niall's ear is still red by the time he gets home. He decides that Louis can go fuck himself.)

 

Niall gazes longingly at the boy who, today, has chosen to wear a beanie to keep his hair out of his face. He thinks the boy's goal is to fluster him as much as possible.

"So, Liam and I were thinking that for guys' night this week, we could go to that new bowling alley. Stan checked it out and he says it's sick," Louis tells him while pouring some coffee into a cup.

Niall sighs, turning to face him. "I'm broke, mate. And no," he interjects when Louis opens his mouth, "I'm not letting you guys pay for me again."

"Your entire paycheque goes to that boy. This is getting ridiculous now," Louis says, walking into the back room and waking Aiden up by hitting him on the back of his head. "Cover for me, yeah?"

"I was sleeping," Aiden says, blinking up blearily at Louis.

"Yes, it's time to wake up from your nap and cover for me, princess Aurora!" He hands him the cup of coffee and turns to walk out of the shop.

"I was on my break," Aiden whines, slowly getting up. Niall thinks he hears him grumble, "Fucking Tomlinson," before shuffling out to complete the order. He's not really paying attention. He's staring out at the front, where Louis has gone up to the boy, wearing the smile that Niall knows he puts on when he wants something from someone. He's confused until he sees Louis gesturing towards the shop. His eyes widen and he ducks behind the counter in case the boy sees him. He _really_ hates Louis right now.

When Louis comes back into the shop, Niall all but pounces on him, bombarding him with questions, "What the hell did you say to him? Did you say anything embarrassing about me? Why did you gesture at me?"

Louis (as always) ignores every word tumbling from his mouth. "His name is Harry Styles. You're welcome," he says, winking at him.

Niall whines, "Louis! What did you say to him?"

"Nothing bad or embarrassing, don't worry."

Niall sighs in relief.

"Well, it really depends on what you think is embarrassing or bad, right? My brain to mouth filter isn't the same as yours."

"Louis!"

"I'm joking, I didn't say anything." Niall eyes Louis warily, making him pinch his nipple. "I promise."

 

Louis is telling him all about guys' night and how they had seen Perrie and her friends ("Zayn tried to look cool, but he forgot he didn't put on the bowling shoes yet and ended up slipping right in front of her!" he cackles), when the boy— _Harry_ , Niall reminds himself—comes into the shop the next day. Niall almost drops the cups he's carrying out of the back room. Louis winks at him and shoves him toward the counter to take Harry's order. Niall is thankful for the few moments where Harry is looking up at the menu, drumming his long fingers on the counter, giving him some time to admire and look at him. Since he isn't sitting like he usually is when Niall sees him, he can just about see how tall he actually is. 

Harry's green eyes flick down to look at him, a slow smile spreading on his face. "Can I please get a cuppa and two chocolate chip cookies?"

"Sure," Niall says, ringing up his order.

"So, your friend said you were interested in me," Harry says, leaning against the counter and watching Niall as he gets his order.

Niall thinks it's time he invests in finding a new best friend. "Did he?"

Harry hums, "You should've said something three weeks ago."

He feigns nonchalance, handing him his food, "Would that have made a difference?"

"Yeah. I think you're cute."

"Really?"

Harry nods, smiling.

"Why didn't _you_ do anything?" Niall asks.

Harry flushes, and Niall likes the way the roles are reversed for a change. "Thought you were with him," he says, nodding in Louis' direction.

Niall laughs, because _what_? Him and Louis? "Nah, we're best mates."

"Good, 'cause I want to take you out sometime," Harry grins.

Niall knocks over a stack of cups, losing all his cool. "Really?"

Harry leans over the counter and stares right into his eyes, not missing a beat when he says, "Really."

Niall gives him a small smile, "Then yes, I'd like to."

 

(Louis hollers madly at them, cooing and pretending to clutch at a fake ache in his chest at the sight of them. Niall throws the cups he'd knocked over at him, yelling in embarrassment, and Paul considers firing them.)


End file.
